Deva 100

[akgal]

Hi everyone, I finally installed my Deva 100 and I’m currently using it for the first time. I’ve had it going for about an hour with a very gentle fire initially, and then adding a bit more wood. The oven temp is now close to 350 and the cooktop temp is Around 600 to 650. Really a beautiful stove, simple design that seems like it will be very easy to clean, beautiful fire viewing area, and very spacious oven. I haven’t use the oven yet but I will report back when I do. I will try to post a video here, please excuse the fact that the kitchen is completely under construction.

 

[begreen]

That's a beautiful sight. I am a bit envious. If you are a baker I think you will be pleased with the results, especially for breads. Looking forward to your experiences with this black beauty.

Is the top cover black porcelain or glass?

 

[akgal]

That's a beautiful sight. I am a bit envious. If you are a baker I think you will be pleased with the results, especially for breads. Looking forward to your experiences with this black beauty.

Is the top cover black porcelain or glass?

I do bake! I did just roast some tatties and they came out great. I haven’t pushed the fire too hard and was able to maintain 350 with ease. It puts out serious heat, i have a window wide open and it’s 25 out haha.

 

[akgal]

That's a beautiful sight. I am a bit envious. If you are a baker I think you will be pleased with the results, especially for breads. Looking forward to your experiences with this black beauty.

Is the top cover black porcelain or glass?

Oh…and it’s a ceramic cooktop, like what you’d find on an electric oven.

 

[akgal]

Today was bacon and a german pancake in the oven. I was able to get oven up to 375, but feel nervous to push it because the stove top exceeds 700. Still cooked everything beautifully. I can’t find any documentation about max temps for the ceramic top. Last night I roasted potatoes and kept leftovers in the oven. They browned beautifully with residual oven heat and were moist inside (after 2 hours!).

The stove kept putting out heat 5 hours after the fire died. So far am enjoying!

 

[akgal]

For any curious minds…I continue to use the Deva for daily cooking. Had my first major fail…a sad chocolate cake. The temp gauge is not correct and reads about 40F hotter than reality, if the room is quite warm (I think because the thermometer is both in front of and behind the oven glass). I purchased an in-oven thermometer which has solved that problem.

Stove top cooking is super basic and easy. Like another poster I use the grill plate to warm up pans before putting them on stovetop, and also to keep dishes warm.

The oven needs a bit more finesse but really not hard. You need to get a good hot fire going, and once you are up to temp you can slow it down and it does maintain temp. The radiant heat really makes for nice baked and roasted foods (as opposed to having an element in the oven).

It is quick to light and easily fit into my daily routine. I work from home and so works with my life.

It puts out a lot of heat. I live in a cold area of Alaska and I have to keep windows open right now. So it can absolutely be used to heat your home.

The only drawback is you can’t clean your stovetop until the next day. I like a clean kitchen before bed but honestly, if that’s the only drawback I’m good.

Hearthstone tech has also been very helpful for a couple questions we couldn’t get answered by our dealer.

Do expect your dealer to know absolutely nothing about this appliance. Chances are they will never have even started a fire in one. So…for future owners that’s why I’m here!

 

[akgal]

I forgot to add, the ceramic glass is supposed to withstand temps up to 1300F. Obviously I am not interested in pushing it there!

 

[moresnow]

Great to hear things are working out. Feel free to post future food pics! Always enjoyed.

 

[akgal]

Great to hear things are working out. Feel free to post future food pics! Always enjoyed.

I will do so!

 

[begreen]

If you keep posting good eats from that stove I may need to book a flight to Alaska.

 

[akgal]

If you keep posting good eats from that stove I may need to book a flight to Alaska.

Always welcome!

 

[akgal]

Cornbread kept at a steady 350, with some leftover beef and Guinness stew.

 

[akgal]

Chicken and dumpling made with one of our home grown pastured chickens. For cooking notes, I was in a rush to get the stove hot this morning. As a watched pot never boils, so a watched fire stays cool. Ha! For large pots of liquid like this, it takes about 30 minutes from a cold stove to rolling boil. Once the stove is warmed up it’s easy to get a boil going. I had the pot directly over the flame until it boiled and then shifted it to the lower right side for a strong simmer.

 

[begreen]

That looks delish. The house must smell great.

 

[akgal]

That looks delish. The house must smell great.

Thanks! And I can confirm it is tasty. And yes the aromas are lovely. 🙂

 

[akgal]

More tips and tricks for the Deva. My husband loves a good southern biscuit. The issue is that most recipes call for a high temp oven - 450 - 500. My recipe calls for 500. I really have no interest in pushing my oven temp that high as it starts to enter Hergom’s “red zone” on their thermometer.

So…here’s what I’ve done with success, twice now. I get the oven up to 400 by burning small pieces of dry spruce. While I’m getting the oven temp up I heat my cast iron pan on the stove top griddle. One key for the Deva oven is to open it as little as possible, so I’ve stopped prewarming pans in the oven, and instead do it on the stovetop.

When the oven reaches 400 and my cast iron is good and hot, I pop the biscuits in the pan and then in the oven, placing them on a rack moved to the top position.

Because the air moves from the fire box to the top of the oven first before moving to the side, bottom and other side, the top of the oven should be the hottest. At 400 with a hot cast iron the biscuits cooked perfectly, leaving them in an additional couple of minutes.

You must keep feeding the fire initially with small dry pieces of wood to keep that temp right up. You will also probably need to open a door. 😅

I have also cooked a pan of bacon in the oven, directly on the oven floor. Besides thinking we are terribly unhealthy eaters 😂, I have to remember to check occassionally. The oven surfaces get very hot, and as there is no vent in the oven you won’t smell the burning smells as you forget your bacon and it gets very dark and crispy.

Still loving it, works great and so easy to clean, inside and out.

 

[akgal]

I haven’t posted here lately but still cook daily on my Deva. Today I made simple rustic baguettes. Recipe called for a 550 oven. That’s not happening. So compensated at around 375 - 400 on the top rack for max baking time, then shifted to floor of oven for 5 min to brown the bottoms up. Worked great. You really can make anything work, you just need to adapt.

 

[begreen]

Hmm, fresh bread. You just made my mouth water.

 

[akgal]

Hmm, fresh bread. You just made my mouth water.

Make some! 🙂